Family, friends devastated by killing of Milwaukee transgender woman

By HILLARY MINTZ

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    MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (WISN) — Milwaukee police are looking for the gunman who killed a transgender woman.

Milwaukee’s LGBTQ community has been rocked by the killing of 28-year-old Brazil Johnson.

On June 15, in the early morning hours, someone shot and killed the transgender woman at a home near Teutonia and Garfield avenues.

“He still identifies as transgender, so he was comfortable with it, and I’m gonna be comfortable with it as well. and I’m not gonna hide that because other people don’t feel comfortable with it,” said Johnson’s mother, Bernitha Gildart.

No one knows who pulled the trigger or why, but Gildart, believes hate fueled the heinous crime.

“It could be a possibility that it was a hate crime, and it could have been a lovers quarrel and could have just been targeted,” Gildart said.

Teresa Reid was brought to tears thinking about her friend’s killing.

“(She was) nice, kind-hearted. Everybody knew her, everybody,” Reid said.

Vogue Rebel works for the LGBTQ nonprofit Diverse and Resilient in Milwaukee.

“We all knew Brazil. She was a loving, smiling, sweet individual which is why it’s so disheartening for some of us,” Rebel said.

Wednesday evening, Rebel joined others for a memorial in Johnson’s honor, hoping to spread awareness and promote acceptance.

“To be targeted like that and no one really say anything about how violent it was, it’s scary for all the girls that are choosing this lifestyle,” Rebel said.

Johnson’s mother hopes the truth surfaces soon.

“There’s a lot of people who was out there, that knew a lot, but they scared to talk,” Gildart said.

Police told WISN 12 News they’re looking for unknown suspects. They’re desperate for help from the community.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said his office discussed Johnson’s death with police and the city’s Office of Equity and Inclusion.

In a statement, the mayor said he wants justice for Johnson and also want “an end to violence against any person victimized because of hate, discrimination or ignorance.”

Milwaukee Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at City Hall in hopes of gaining information that may lead to finding the person(s) who killed Johnson.

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